Bewitch Closes Out Keeneland Spring Meet
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Photo: Benoit Photo
California invader Generosidade faces 11 older fillies and mares in the Bewitch Stakes.
As quick as it comes, as quick as it goes: Keeneland’s spring meet draws to an end April 29 and the 16-day stand ends with the $150,000 Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) for older fillies and mares making three turns on the turf at 1 1/2 miles.
The race goes as the ninth on the program with an approximate post of 5:30 p.m., and has drawn a very competitive group of 12.
Most of the field comes to Keeneland via winter action in South Florida, or will be making their first starts of the year. But this year’s most intriguing runner is the Uruguay-bred Generosidade who has raced exclusively in Southern California the past 12 months.
The 7-year-old mare will be making her fourth start of the year. In her last pair she won the 12-furlong San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) at 71-1, then ran second in the 1 7/8-mile San Juan Capistrano Stakes (gr. IIIT) as a 3-1 chance. In South America she won the Grand Premio Organizacao Sulamericana del Fomento Ao Puro Sangue de Corrida (Brz-I) in May 2013 and she has also campaigned in Europe.
She races for Haras Phillipson and is trained by Paulo Lobo, who has had success with such graded winners as Farda Amiga, winner of the 2002 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I); and multiple grade I winner Pico Central. The Bewitch will be Lobo’s first runner at Keeneland.
From South Florida come Diane Snowden’s Songoficeandfire and Sanford Bacon’s Achnaha, the two-three finishers behind the very good Photo Call in Gulfstream Park’s Orchid Stakes (gr. IIIT). Both runners came from far back for their placings at 1 3/8 miles. Songoficeandfire was an allowance winner over Keeneland’s turf course in October 2014 while the Irish-bred Achnaha will be making her Kentucky debut for trainer George Weaver.
Owner G. Watts Humphrey won the 2008 Bewitch with Communique and has a pair in this year’s running. Annulment makes her seasonal bow for trainer Victoria Oliver. Annulment, by Broken Vow , has a pair of wins over the local layout. Humphrey and Oliver also have Personal Diary, a daughter of City Zip who won at 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland April 13.
Martin Schwartz’ Olorda, a German-bred, was a respectable fourth in last fall’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Lane’s End (gr. IT) and took the Very One Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream wire-to-wire March 5. This time last year she was winning the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-III) and she later placed in the group I Prix Alary.